The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDDRMC) on Monday, April 29, approved a resolution recommending that Iloilo province be placed under a state of calamity due to the El Niño phenomenon.

“We need a declaration so that we can access more funds for El Niño adjustment measures. The declaration of the state of calamity can be helpful to us now,” Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., who sits as chair of the PDRRMC, said in an interview.

Among the adjusted measures to be enforced is to focus on other aspects of agriculture not too dependent on water.

This included diversion to animal-raising instead of planting palay.

During the meeting, Iloilo PDRRM officer Cornelio Salinas presented that the value of damages caused by El Niño has reached P1.025 billion as of April 26 with 88,764 farmers and fisherfolk affected.

The rice commodity incurred the biggest damage, valued at over P653 million, affecting 12,590 farmers covering 12,069.49 hectares of standing crops, while the highest number of farmers affected belong to the high-value crops, with losses amounting to more than P137 million.

The corn commodity suffered more than P219 million in losses affecting 3,901 farmers, while fisheries had P17 million for 295 affected fisherfolk.

Further, 51 farms were also affected under the livestock and poultry category, with losses valued at P200,000.

Salinas said three municipalities, namely Sara, Estancia and Bingawan already declared the state of calamity, while municipalities of Balasan, New Lucena and San Dionisio are expected to declare the same anytime soon. (PNA)